Railways gear up to upgrade New Delhi station

After the renovation of the New Delhi railway station building on the Ajmeri Gate side, the Delhi Division of Northern Railway is gearing up to further upgrade and beautify the station for the upcoming Commonwealth Games. The work being undertaken includes construction of foot-over-bridges and re-modelling of the station entry and exit points besides giving an aesthetic facelift to the existing building structure.

A Northern Railway official said: “One of the biggest challenges for the New Delhi railway station upgrade is the huge inflow of passengers for which efforts are being made to decongest the station. Work is in progress for extension of a new foot over-bridge to Paharganj side and its connection with the existing foot over-bridge. This foot over-bridge is six metre wide and will go a long way in decongesting the station. Also, we are planning to move the existing inward parcel office at Platform No.1 on Paharganj side to parcel area at Ajmeri Gate side and utilise the space so released for passengers waiting at platforms and concourse hall.”

“The circulating area at Paharganj and Ajmeri Gate side will also be remodelled to make the station entry and exit hassle-free for passengers. These circulating area plans have been developed in consultation with the Delhi Traffic Police. The railway station building will also be given a facelift by providing aluminium composite panels, stainless steel cladding, granite murals and texture paints. The entry to the railway station would be made prominent and the entrance and exits would be made more efficient by creation of proper lanes,” he added.

In addition, the platforms at the station would be repaired to make them smooth and provided with elegant looking stainless steel benches, stainless steel water booths, modular stalls and aesthetically improved railings. The cover sheds on platforms would also be extended to increase the waiting area and provide shelter against inclement weather.

“The pathways would be made wider and smoother so that elderly and disabled passengers can be moved from one platform to another by battery- operated passenger cars,” the official added.

Streetside dhabas lose to Commonwealth Games

In a move that will hit the livelihood of lakhs of people and completely change the city's street-food culture, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has started removing all illegal dhabas as part of an anti-encroachment drive before the Commonwealth Games. There are an estimated 20,000 dhabas in the city, of which 70-80% — around 14,000 to 16,000 — are deemed illegal.

N K Yadav, MCD health officer, said a special drive against roadside eateries had been launched. "Deputy commissioners of all 12 city zones have been asked to remove encroachments on public land. Illegal dhabas are part of the drive. Removal of these dhabas has nothing to do with the HC order."

In 2008, Delhi high court had asked the civic agency to remove all eateries operating on encroached land within 30 days from October 16 of that year. In response, MCD had said that it would come up with a policy for such eateries.

Under the new policy, the civic agency said it would start issuing licences to dhaba owners with legal establishments. In addition, kiosks and stall owners could also get licences issued by MCD. Since most of the existing dhabas function from public land, MCD says removing these illegal eateries is part of its anti-encroachment drive.

The MCD had also claimed in 2008 that it would carry out a survey to determine the number of illegal dhabas in the city. This was never conducted.

MCD's press and information director, Deep Mathur confirmed the move. "The illegal dhabas are liable to be removed without serving any notice to them as they are considered encroachments. MCD can only issue licences to eating houses which have a covered roof. We have been told to remove all encroachments before the Commonwealth Games."

'We are Indians, we will do it'

With less than 200 days for the Commonwealth Games to begin, Rakesh Mehta, chief secretary of the Delhi city government, may have many concerns, but finding accommodation for the travellers is not one of these. In an interview with Ruchika Chitravanshi, he says he expects just about 50,000-60,000 tourists during the Games, just half the 100,000 estimated by the tourism ministry. Excerpts:

What is your biggest concern on the Commonwealth Games?
Traffic is a major concern. We have a transport plan to implement. Another 125 km of metro (rail) will start working by June-August. New low-floor AC and non-AC buses have come. We’d try to attract people to use buses instead of cars. We are making the biggest bus depot in Asia, with a capacity of 1,000 buses, which will be ready by June. Normally, one depot can accommodate 100 buses. It would have a control centre where all the 4,000 buses would be tracked by GPS. We also have different kind of technologies for road construction and road maintenance. Those technologies are here to stay. They have improved the quality of road surfaces.

You are not worried that there is a shortage of accommodation? DDA flats haven’t come up in time. Schools have been approached?
No, I’ll tell you why. Games have been sandwiched between the World Cup Football and then, there is the Athletic World Championship. There are so many international events taking place. Second, this is not the tourist season for Delhi in any case. There was a delay in DDA flats because of the contractor, who has now been changed. The DDA flats should come up by June.

Doesn’t the peak season start in October in India?
It starts during the Christmas time when they get the winter break, then they come into India. Tourists won’t come here to watch netball. They would want to go to Kerela, Kaziranga, Corbett and so many other places.
What is your expectation of the tourist arrivals?
About 50,000-60,000.

Then, what is the hue and cry about the DDA flats?
The 5,000 DDA flats are for the technical staff. All those people who would be coming with the athletes like the massaging people, physiotherapist, etc would also be staying there. The athletic team has a long tail. For tourists, there are alternative arrangements. Paharganj, Karol Bagh are being done up. There is a bed and breakfast scheme going on. The Delhi University (DU) hostels — like those of St Stephen’s and Ramjas — are being renovated. The youth who come to visit obviously won’t be staying in five-star hotels. They would stay in youth hostels. The hostels would be closed during that period. All DU colleges with hostel would be available.

Schools have also been approached?
Schools which have hostels can make these available. We never expected the guys who come for the Games will be five-star hotel types, hence such arrangements are being made. Beijing Olympics had 25 per cent occupancy. Here, we don’t want to get into a mode where we think a lot of people would come and then we end up with empty rooms.

Hotels have reduced their prices, so it is affordable for a large range of tourists.
That is a market decision. Rates would come down anyway, because we gave them the luxury tax exemption.

What is the total infrastructure spend?
We have calculated a spend of Rs 13, 350 crore. This includes the infrastructure on power and water development, flyovers, bridges, streetscaping volunteer programme, greening Delhi by putting plants. This money has been invested over three years.

Are we overdoing the infrastructure?
We are developing areas within 2 km radius of the sports stadia that we have to do as per our contract with the Commonwealth Games Federation. We are not doing the entire Delhi, we can’t afford that. Around the stadium, all the advertising space that is to be created has to be given to the organising committee to earn advertising revenue. When we are talking of neutral gains, we need revenue. So, around the stadium, there will be advertisements from 1st to 14th of October. Unless we do the streetscaping and create the advertising adjuncts we can’t give them the needed advertising spaces as per the contract.

What would be the legacy of these Games?
One is the power situation. We have signed so may contracts for power, we are building so many power plants. We won’t have any power shortage. That is a good legacy value, if you consider it to be of any value. There is the Dadri power plant. The Bawana power plant will start producing next month.

What is the status of the stadia preparation?
All are ready, except the Velodrome and JNL stadium, the inaugural event venue, and the Syama Prasad Mukherjee swimming pool. All will be ready by June.

What will be the next milestone?
When the Games preparations are over, we would do an intensive drill of all the venue managers, security and transport-related people and volunteers, and also do a dry run on the transport plan. There are different categories — spectators, players, ground staff, volunteers — they all enter at different times.

There are a lot of committees involved in the Games, how often is your interface?
GoM meets every 20 days, Cabinet secretary meeting is every week-10 days. The monitoring committee meets every 10 days, the chief minister takes meetings frequently.

If there is any hitch or anything goes wrong, who is that one person whose head will roll?
Me. So, we are doing inspections everyday. Issues should not be delayed due to lack of decision making. We try to resolve it at the lower level. If we can’t, then we solve it at the higher level.

So, we did the right thing by bidding for the Games?
These Games come once in four years, so if we don’t bid now then when will we? It has enabled us to upgrade the infrastructure after almost 25 years, when the Asian Games took place. We are capable. We are Indians, we’ll do it.

CWG'10 Chef de Missions seminar begins

Chef de Missions from all the 71 participating nations will visit the Commonwealth Games venues in the next two days to take stock of capital's preparedness for the October 3-14 mega-event.

The Chef de Missions are here to participate in a three-day seminar, where different aspects of the event's organisation will be discussed.

Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Michael Fennell while delivering the opening address at the seminar on Tuesday assured the delegates that India would host the Games successfully.

"Over the next couple of days, you will visit all the Games venues and find them in various stages of completion. I am sure that the venues will be ready and the overlays will be installed in time for the Games. Some of the venues are completed and test events have either been held or will be held soon.

"I am pleased that the Organising Committee, backed by the Government of India, has overcome all hurdles that have come its way. These are our Games and India is only hosting them for us. I am sure you have already experienced the fantastic hospitality that India is capable of," he said.

Earlier, Games' Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi welcomed the delegates and reiterated that Delhi is gearing up for a "memorable" Games.

"We are confident of delivering a high-class experience to your contingents, including memorable Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the best Games Village. The Games is a symbol of national pride for us and athletes are at the centrestage in all our efforts.

"We have accorded the highest priority to the sports equipment and will use only brands that are used at the highest level of competition like Olympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games," said Kalmadi, who is also President of the Indian Olympic Association.

Rajasthan to allot free land to Olympics, Asian, Commonwealth winners

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has announced allotment of free land to medal winner Rajasthani players in Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games and providing coaching and preparatory expenses to probables for Delhi Commonwealth Games.

Presenting the state Budget in the Assembly today, Mr Gehlot said 25 bighas of land in IG Canal area, would be allotted free to 12 Rajasthani players who had won medals for India in Olympics, Asian Games or Commonwealth Games.

Similar land allotment in Command area would be made on reserved price to those players from the state who had represented India in these Games.

Besides, the state government would also bear expenses up to Rs one lakh per player for training or preparation of probables from the state for the next Asian Games in New Delhi.

Commonwealth Games are our games says Michael Fennell

Michael Fennell, President, Commonwealth Games Federation and Suresh Kalmadi, Chairman, Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 met here today to monitor the readiness ahead of the sporting event that is due to be held in October this year.

Addressing the media persons here, Fennell said: "The celebration of wonderful Games in October is not possible without all of us working together. These are our games, the Commonwealth Games is not for India. India is hosting the Games for us. These are our games and we have to make them good."

About security, Fennell said security was everybody's concern and the Commonwealth Games Federation was watching the security arrangements closely.

"A matter that has been occupying the attention of everyone around the world those connected with the Commonwealth Games and those not connected with the Commonwealth Games is the matter of security as Mr. Kalmadi has said to you that all the attention is being paid to the security and we also put this very high on our agenda in terms of monitoring for the arrangements for the Games. I don't think anybody would deny the fact that anywhere in the world today where there is a large international event or either the large domestic event that we are aware of from the federation's point of view and we will be monitoring very closely," he added.

Fennell was pleased with the hockey venue where current hockey World Cup is being held in New Delhi.

"Venues of course, some are under construction and some of them have been completed and we are very pleased with the outcome of the hockey venue because when we were here in December last it was still very far from completion and to witness such a fact that they are able to play the World Cup. ... certainly excellent facilities. I think it is a testimony to what can be achieved by India when they have to achieve a certain objective and I must congratulate the builders, organisers and all the people responsible for presenting such a fine hockey venue." said Fennell.

He also claimed that the Commonwealth Games-2010 would leave behind world-class sporting infrastructure in India.

Aus should trust India's security arrangements: Cathy

Olympic gold medallist sprinter Cathy Freeman on Tuesday called on her fellow Australian athletes to trust the security arrangements made by the Indian government and travel to Delhi for the Commonwealth Games in October.

The Olympics champion for 400m in the 2000 Sydney Games, Cathy, who is here for the Laureus world sports award as a member, said trusting the Indian officials will also help participants to concentrate more on their sports.

"Trust the policy maker, experts, officials (of the Commonwealth Games). As athletes they have to trust so that they can focus on their sport," Cathy said, when asked what would be her message to the Australian team which will travel to India for the quadrennial event to be held from October 3-14.

Asked about the assaults on Indian community Down Under, Cathy said, "It concerns me but it is not only specific to India but any people. It is definitely an issue which is at the heart of people's consciousness and awareness in Australia."

"I know what it feels to lose someone but I can assure you Australians generally are fair and good people. We will do what we need to do to ensure that everybody is safe," she added.

The four-time Commonwealth games gold medallist also felt that athletes all over the world should abide by the where about clause of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

"I trusted the system, the rules. I became adaptable. I didn't feel that it intruded into my personal life and I was happy to cooperate on the issues that mattered. It was also important for my conscious," she said.

Cathy praised Olympics gold medallist sprinter Usain Bolt for his huge contribution towards making the sport clean and fair, especially after being maligned by dope cases.

"He (Usain) is amazing, extraordinary, a character. He seems to be a real delight. He has reignited people's faith and imagination. There was a time when the biggest fear for me was that everybody will assume that Olympics champions were druggist but Usain proved a point against that. He is a phenomenal sprinter."

Cathy, who won the Laureus award in 2001, said her experiences in life contributed towards taking an important decision to get associated with Laureus family as a academy members for the first time.

"When you feel pain, it doesn't have any other way but to face it and so you have to sort out what is meaningful to you and so I am here now. They are community oriented, willing to get their hands dirty to help people, talk about tough issues like, criminal activities, under-previleged and poor communities," said Cathy, who lost her brother Norman in a motor-cycle crash in 2008.

UK students to work at Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games

The Organising Committee Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games (D2010) and Sheffield Hallam University have today signed an exclusive agreement for 30 student volunteers to work at the Games from October 3-14 in the Press Operations Function Area. These students will be selected from Sheffield Hallam University's media and journalism courses and will be part of the pool of 30,000 volunteers for 2010 Delhi Games.

The agreement follows the success of a similar project at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when Sheffield Hallam students worked with the press team and were the only Europeans among 16000 volunteers. Sheffield Hallam is also working in partnership with the London Organising Committee for the 2012 Olympic Games.

OC D2010 Chairman Shri Suresh Kalmadi said that OC is planning a state-of-the-art Main Press Centre and International Broadcasting Centre and other facilities for more than 5,000 media representatives. The students of journalism from Sheffield Hallam will get a great opportunity to contribute to the D2010 press operations team. "The volunteers are going to be the face of the Games and we welcome the Sheffield Hallam volunteers to the OC's fold. We hope they will enjoy the experience of working at the Delhi Games and contribute to its success."

Sheffield Hallam University Vice Chancellor Professor Philip Jones thanked the Delhi Organising Committee for this exclusive opportunity to work with the Games. "This is a wonderful opportunity for our students and we would like to thank the OC Delhi 2010 Chairman Mr. Kalmadi for giving us this opportunity."

"Sheffield Hallam was the UK's first designated "City of Sport" and has a world-class reputation for its commitment to sports, which is demonstrated through the sports facilities in the city, backed by teaching, research and medical support at the university. We are delighted to be able to showcase our ability at such a significant and important sporting event as the Delhi Commonwealth Games," said Jones. He added that "not only will the students benefit from working on an internationally prestigious project, they will also have the opportunity to work in an international setting, which will help them to prepare for working in a global environment when they graduate."

CGF President Fennell confident of Delhi 2010's success

Commonwealth Games Federation President Mr. Mike Fennell has said he is confident that the venues will be ready and the overlays will be installed in time for the Games.

Delivering the opening address at a Seminar for the Chefs de Mission of the 71 countries here on Tuesday, he also reiterated the fact that the Commonwealth Games’ unique position as the Friendly Games. “These are our Games and India is only hosting them for us,” he said. “I am sure you have already experienced the fantastic hospitality that India is capable of.”

“Over the next couple of days, you will visit all the Games venues and find them in various stages of completion. I am sure that the venues will be ready and the overlays will be installed in time for the Games,” Mr. Fennell said. “Some of the venues are completed and test events have either been held or will be held soon.”

“I am pleased that the Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi, backed by the Government of India, has overcome all hurdles that have come in its way,” he said. “There will be challenges but I am sure that we will face them and ensure a successful Games for the athletes by offering them world class facilities for stay and competition.”

Earlier, welcoming the Chefs de Mission, Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi Chairman Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, MP, said that his team was gearing itself up to deliver a great Games. “We are confident of delivering a high-class experience to your contingents, including memorable Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the best Games Village,” he said.

“The Games are a symbol of national pride for us and your athletes are at the centrestage in all our efforts,” Mr. Kalmadi said. “We have accorded the highest priority to the sports equipment and will use only brands that are used at the highest level of competition like Olympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.”

“With the support of the Governments of India and Delhi, we are doing everything to produce a great Games. We need your support to make it the best Games,” he said.